Competition in the Media Market – Consumers vote with their Clickers

Free markets dictate that consumers “vote” for products based on their consumption. Media and television programming is no different. Across the news media spectrum, both print and on television, there’s a clear trend emerging – consumers prefer programming and content that leans towards free market principles and economically conservative ideology.

Further, the ratings for the news channels – FoxNews, CNN, and MSNBC – also show consumer preferences lessening for liberal-leaning content. And the recession and advertising revenues can’t be blamed since all three channels are equally included on most cable and satellite packages, so consumers vote with their clicker, not with additional out-of-pocket expenses. And it seems that media giants such as General Electric (they own MSNBC) appear to have a particular agenda with their media outlets, going so far as cutting off shareholders at a recent meeting who complained about MSNBC’s left-leaning content. The shareholders have capital interest in ensuring maximum viewership for the company they own. Why does management fail to pursue their interests when the data shows less demand for their current programming agenda?